A standardized herbal extract mitigates tumor inflammation and augments chemotherapy effect of docetaxel in prostate cancer.

Activation of the NFκB pathway is often associated with advanced cancer and has thus been regarded as a rational therapeutic target. Wedelia chinensis is rich in luteolin, apigenin, and wedelolactone that act synergistically to suppress androgen receptor activity in prostate cancer. Interestingly, our evaluation of a standardized Wedelia chinensis herbal extract (WCE) concluded its efficacy on hormone-refractory prostate cancer through systemic mechanisms. Oral administration of WCE significantly attenuated tumor growth and metastasis in orthotopic PC-3 and DU145 xenografts. Genome-wide transcriptome analysis of these tumors revealed that WCE suppressed the expression of IKKα/ß phosphorylation and downstream cytokines/chemokines, e.g., IL6, CXCL1, and CXCL8. Through restraining the cytokines expression, WCE reduced tumor-elicited infiltration of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and endothelial cells into the tumors, therefore inhibiting angiogenesis, tumor growth, and metastasis. In MDSCs, WCE also reduced STAT3 activation, downregulated S100A8 expression and prevented their expansion. Use of WCE in combination with docetaxel significantly suppressed docetaxel-induced NFκB activation, boosted the therapeutic effect and reduced the systemic toxicity caused by docetaxel monotherapy. These data suggest that a standardized preparation of Wedelia chinensis extract improved prostate cancer therapy through immunomodulation and has potential application as an adjuvant agent for castration-resistant prostate cancer.

A Standardized Wedelia chinensis Extract Overcomes the Feedback Activation of HER2/3 Signaling upon Androgen-Ablation in Prostate Cancer.

Crosstalk between the androgen receptor (AR) and other signaling pathways in prostate cancer (PCa) severely affects the therapeutic outcome of hormonal therapy. Although anti-androgen therapy prolongs overall survival in PCa patients, resistance rapidly develops and is often associated with increased AR expression and upregulation of the HER2/3-AKT signaling pathway. However, single agent therapy targeting AR, HER2/3 or AKT usually fails due to the reciprocal feedback loop. Previously, we reported that wedelolactone, apigenin, and luteolin are the active compounds in Wedelia chinensis herbal extract, and act synergistically to inhibit the AR activity in PCa. Here, we further demonstrated that an herbal extract of W. chinensis (WCE) effectively disrupted the AR, HER2/3, and AKT signaling networks and therefore enhanced the therapeutic efficacy of androgen ablation in PCa. Furthermore, WCE remained effective in suppressing AR and HER2/3 signaling in an in vivo adapted castration-resistant PCa (CRPC) LNCaP cell model that was insensitive to androgen withdrawal and second-line antiandrogen, enzalutamide. This study provides preclinical evidence that the use of a defined, single plant-derived extract can augment the therapeutic efficacy of castration with significantly prolonged progression-free survival. These data also establish a solid basis for using WCE as a candidate agent in clinical studies.

Development of a standardized and effect-optimized herbal extract of Wedelia chinensis for prostate cancer.

Herbal medicine is a popular complementary or alternative treatment for prostate cancer. Wedelia chinensis has at least three active compounds, wedelolactone, luteolin, and apigenin synergistically inhibiting prostate cancer cell growth in vitro. Here, we report a systematic study to develop a standardized and effect-optimized herbal extract, designated as W. chinensis extract (WCE) to facilitate its future scientific validation and clinical use. Ethanolic extract of dried W. chinensis plant was further condensed, acid hydrolyzed, and enriched with preparative chromatography. The chemical compositions of multiple batches of the standardized preparation WCE were quantified by LC/MS/MS, and biological activities were analyzed by in vitro and in vivo assays. Furthermore, the pharmacokinetics of the holistic WCE were compared with the combination of the equivalent principal active compounds through oral administration. The results indicated that quantitative chemical assay and PSA (prostate-specific antigen)-reporter assay together are suitable to measure the quality and efficacy of a standardized Wedelia extract on a xenograft tumor model. The presence of minor concomitant compounds in WCE prolonged the systemic exposure to the active compounds, thus augmented the anti-tumor efficacy of WCE. In conclusion, a combination of LC/MS/MS and PSA reporter assay is suitable to qualify a standardized preparation of WCE. Furthermore, the pharmacokinetics and oral bioavailability of active compounds demonstrate that holistic WCE exerted additional pharmacological synergy beyond the multi-targeted therapeutic effects caused by more than one active compound. WCE merits a higher priority to be studied for use in prostate cancer treatment.

Herbal extract of Wedelia chinensis attenuates androgen receptor activity and orthotopic growth of prostate cancer in nude mice.

PURPOSE: Wedelia chinensis is a common ingredient of anti-inflammatory herbal medicines in Taiwan and southern China. Inflammation is involved in promoting tumor growth, invasion, and metastasis. This study aims to test the biological effects in vivo of W. chinensis extract on prostate cancer. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: The in vivo efficacy and mechanisms of action of oral administration of a standardized extract of W. chinensis were analyzed in animals bearing a subcutaneous or orthotopic prostate cancer xenograft. RESULTS: Exposure of prostate cancer cells to W. chinensis extract induced apoptosis selectively in androgen receptor (AR)-positive prostate cancer cells and shifted the proportion in each phase of cell cycle toward G(2)-M phase in AR-negative prostate cancer cells. Oral herbal extract (4 or 40 mg/kg/d for 24-28 days) attenuated the growth of prostate tumors in nude mice implanted at both subcutaneous (31% and 44%, respectively) and orthotopic (49% and 49%, respectively) sites. The tumor suppression effects were associated with increased apoptosis and lower proliferation in tumor cells as well as reduced tumor angiogenesis. The antitumor effect of W. chinensis extract was correlated with accumulation of the principle active compounds wedelolactone, luteolin, and apigenin in vivo. CONCLUSION: Anticancer action of W. chinensis extract was due to three active compounds that inhibit the AR signaling pathway. Oral administration of W. chinensis extract impeded prostate cancer tumorigenesis. Future studies of W. chinensis for chemoprevention or complementary medicine against prostate cancer in humans are thus warranted.

The constituents of Anisomeles indica and their anti-inflammatory activities.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Anisomeles indica (L.) Kuntze. (Labiatae), popularly known as 'yu-chen-tsao', has been traditionally used as anti-inflammatory agent. AIM OF THE STUDY: Investigate the chemical constituents from the whole plants of Anisomeles indica, and evaluate their in vitro anti-inflammatory activities. RESULTS: The combined MeOH extract was successively partitioned with CHCl(3) and n-butanol, then submitted to several column chromatographic, and HPLC purification procedures which led to the isolation of one cembrane-type diterpenoid (3), two benzenoids (4 and 5), five flavonoids (1, 2, 6, 7 and 14), and six phenyl propanoids (8-13). The compounds 1-14 were examined for their inhibitory effects on inflammatory mediator's enhanced production from LPS/IFN-gamma-stimulated macrophages. Among these, ovatodiolide (3) exhibited potent inhibition on NO, TNF-alpha and IL-12 enhanced production at a concentration of 5 microM, followed by pedalitin (1), scutellarein 7-O-beta-d-glucuronide methyl ester (6), and acteoside (12) at 40 microM (P<0.05). Furthermore, 2 microM of 3, and 20 microM of 1 and 6 significantly (P<0.05) arrested the cell cycle of Con A-stimulated spleen cells at the G0/G1 stage. CONCLUSION: This is the first report on the presence of compounds 1 and 4-13 in this plant and of the potent anti-inflammatory activity of 1, 3, 6 and 12 in vitro. These compounds may account for the use of Anisomeles indica in folk medicine to treat inflammation.

Inhibition of pro-inflammatory mediators and tumor cell proliferation by Anisomeles indica extracts.

Anisomeles indica (L.) Kuntze (Labiatae), is a traditional anti-inflammatory herb used in Taiwan. The aqueous and methanolic extracts of whole plants, leaves, flowers and stems; and chloroform and n-butanol fractions of methanol extract, from A. indica were investigated for their anti-inflammatory activity on murine peritoneal macrophages. In addition, the tumor cells proliferation inhibition activities of these extracts were also evaluated against a panel of tumor cell lines such as Colon 205, PC 3, HepG2 and MCF 7. Treatment with A. indica extracts did not reduce cell viability at any dose used. However, all the extracts significantly inhibited the enhanced production of NO radicals, and pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-alpha, and IL-12) induced by LPS/IFN-gamma in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, methanolic extracts of leaves and flowers significantly and dose-dependently arrest mitogen-stimulated spleen cells in G0/G1 stage, in addition to their cell proliferation inhibition against Colon 205, MCF 7 and PC 3 by 94, 82; 98, 71; 82, 98%, respectively, at 200 microg/mL concentration. This is the first report on A. indica extracts for their growth inhibitory activities, against inflammatory mediator production, and human tumor cell lines, colon, prostate, hepatoma and breast cells proliferation.